The Mirror of Beasts by. Alexandra Bracken | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Mirror of Beasts (Silver in the Bone, #2)

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 576

Publication Date: 7/30/24

Publisher: Hachette Children’s Group

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Series, King Arthur, Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Hachette Children’s Group for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

With the dream of Avalon in ruins, Tamsin and her friends are all that stands in the way of Lord Death’s plans to unleash the horrors of Anwnn on the world of the living. As the Wild Hunt carves a bloody path across continents, Tamsin is mustering allies, tracking down powerful artifacts, and traversing into new otherlands in search of a way to stop him.

Legend tells of a “Mirror of Beasts,” powerful enough to trap even Lord Death in its accursed glass, but the mirror is not all that it seems. Tamsin must confront her own darkest secrets if she hopes to tap the mirror’s strength to defeat her enemies.

Arthurian legend bleeds into contemporary action, and scars of the past are torn open anew by a starcrossed love that refuses to go quietly. This riveting conclusion to the Silver in the Bone duology will hold you in its thrall until the very last page.

Content Warning: violence, death

This story throws you right in after the events that happened in Silver in the Bone. It is action filled and for the most part moves at a quick pace. There are quests and the found family trope really brings these characters together. I enjoyed everything that was going on between Tamsin and her friends, Tamsin and Emrys, Tamsin and Cabell her brother who has had a hell of a journey being on the opposite sides of things. They all had stuff to work out and they do so with all this chaos going on.

The story about King Arthur and Excalibur being the basis for this adventure is really cool too. I like that there were some surprises I wasn’t expecting. I loved the romance storyline with Tamsin and Emrys, who have a ways to come back to trusting one another again but they work through it eventually!

I do think this book was long but it makes sense since it’s a duology and there were some things to wrap up. I wonder if it would have been better as a trilogy though? Not sure but I was losing some steam to read it at 75% into the book. There might have been too many characters for me to follow, not the main ones but the sorceresses that are new. I also thought Lord Death was a funny name for a villain, but he was not a funny guy at all – I hated that Cabell was working for him.

My Thoughts:

Overall, I was entertained with this conclusion to the duology! I think it’s a great end to the series that centers on found family. The action and quests really move this story along and the romance is resolved for Emrys and Tamsin which I’m happy about. If you liked Silver in the Bone, I think you’ll also enjoy this one!

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Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books By This Author:

Silver in the Bone by. Alexandra Bracken | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Lore by. Alexandra Bracken | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

WWW Wednesday | 7/10/24

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam over on Taking on a World of Words.

The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three W’s:

What are you currently reading?

What have you just finished reading?

What are you going to read next?

Well, the weekend took a turn for my son who caught Covid – I’m suspecting from Chuck e Cheese since it was packed. 😒 But he was the only ONE wearing a mask in there! Anyway he woke up with a itchy throat and sniffles Saturday morning (which I gave him Zyrtec for because I thought it was allergies) and I even ate bacon from his breakfast plate 🙃…we went to his piano lesson, then by the evening he was running a fever. He is much better! His fever only lasted 2 days and his coughing hasn’t been bad at all! I think this has been the most mild covid he’s had. Anyway, stay healthy out there!

What are you currently reading?

Shadows of Perl by. J. Elle – 2% going to work on this one this week since I’m working on September arcs!

A Game of Malice and Greed by. Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti – 4% in – this might go back to the TBR list.

Shadows and Storms by. Helen Scheuerer – 4% in – not sure when I’ll be in the mood to finish this one.

The Mist Thief by. L.J. Andrews – 3% I’m going to tackle this one so I can be caught up with the series.

The Thirteenth Child by. Erin A. Craig – 28% in – this one is so fascinating so far and not exactly what I expected and not in a bad way.

What have you just finished reading?

The Seventh Veil of Salome by. Silvia Moreno-Garcia – ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A Winter Wish by. Emily Stone – ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

What are you going to read next?

What are you reading right now?

Happy Book Birthday | New Releases | 7/9/24

Happy book birthday to these new releases! Check out this list today:

The Spellshop by. Sarah Beth Durst

The Spellshop is a cottagecore cosy fantasy following a woman’s unexpected journey through the low-stakes market of illegal spell-selling and the high-risk business of starting over . . .

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people, and as librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she hasn’t had to.

She and her assistant, Caz, a sentient spider plant, have spent most of the last eleven years sequestered among the empire’s precious spellbooks, protecting the magic for the city’s elite. But a revolution is brewing and when the library goes up in flames, she and Caz steal whatever books they can and flee to the faraway island where she grew up. She’s hoping to lay low and figure out a way to survive before the revolution comes looking for her. To her dismay, in addition to a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor, she finds the town in disarray.

The empire with its magic spellbooks has slowly been draining power from the island, something that Kiela is indirectly responsible for, and now she’s determined to find a way to make things right. Opening up a spell shop comes with its own risks—the consequence of sharing magic with commoners is death. And as Kiela comes to make a place for herself among the quirky townspeople, she realizes that in order to make a life for herself, she must break down the walls she has kept so high.

Goodreads | Amazon

The Darkness Within Us by. Tricia Levenseller

Chrysantha Stathos has won.

By hiding her intelligence and ambition behind the mask of a beautiful air-headed girl, she has gathered important secrets, earned her father’s constant care, and become a wealthy duchess—all by age nineteen. Now, she is only one elderly, dying duke away from having all the freedom, money, and safety she’s ever wanted.

Or so she thought.

Turns out her little sister somehow snatched the true victory away from her: Alessandra is wedding the Shadow King, the most powerful man in the world. Meanwhile, after the death of Chrysantha’s no-good, lecherous husband, a man claiming to be the duke’s estranged grandson turns up to inherit everything that should be hers.

Chrysantha is enraged. There is no way that she’s going to let some man take everything from her. Never mind that he’s extremely handsome and secretive and alluring with mysterious powers… No, Chrysantha wants Eryx Demos dead, and in the end, a Stathos girl always gets what she wants.

Goodreads | Amazon

The Game Changer by. Lana Ferguson

A hockey player and a baker shoot their shot in this steamy new romance by Lana Ferguson, USA Today bestselling author of The Nanny.

When a very public breakup becomes a PR nightmare for Ian Chase’s team, he hopes to focus on his game, but that suddenly seem less likely than a hat trick. With his career and the team’s image in jeopardy, Ian is surprised to find a solution through none other than Delilah Baker, his best friend and teammate’s little sister…who isn’t so little anymore.

Delilah Baker is known as “the darling of baking” on her local cable show, and being in the public eye is her bread and butter. But with her numbers dwindling and her producers turning up the heat, Delilah offers up the half-baked idea to collaborate with her brother’s team to entice the hockey fans of Boston to tune in to her show. Delilah thinks it will be a piece of cake—until the team sends Ian Chase, her brother’s best friend and the object of a decade-long crush that she’s never quite gotten over.

Delilah’s and Ian’s teams think it’s a true win-win situation—gaining higher numbers for Delilah’s show and casting Ian in a more positive light. And viewers are eating them up like a cupcake, sparking the idea to play up their relationship for the goal of good press. With more than just their careers on thin ice, the line between what’s real and what’s for show begins to blur, but one thing’s for certain: This PR stunt will either be a total game changer—or leave them both totally pucked.

Goodreads | Amazon

Black Tide Son by. H.M. Long

The Winter Seas series continues as a prisonbreak to save Benedict leaves him, Sam and Mary trapped in a desparate race for survival in enemy territory. Expect epic adventure, intrigue and espionage, and fleet battles on the high-seas, perfect for fans of Adrienne Young, L. J. Andrews and Naomi Novik.

Samuel and Mary are thriving as privateers on the Winter Seas. As they navigate the complexities of their growing bond, in a world that would see Mary as chattel to be traded, the pair are forging a new, better way to live, under the sails of Hart.

But when their latest prize brings tales of Benedict’s capture by Mereish forces, they must make an impossible choice: to serve their nation or save Sam’s brother.

Thrust into a mission of intrigue and infiltration, they seek to break into the most secure prison on the Mereish Coast. But as they sail deep into enemy territory, they find themselves hunted by a cunning and mysterious new foe—an enemy who seems to know their every secret, and who will kill to keep their own.

As the Black Tide rises, and fleets take to the water, Samuel, Mary and Benedict are on a desperate race for survival—both their own, and the free nations of the Winter Seas.

Goodreads | Amazon

Beneath These Cursed Stars by. Lexi Ryan

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lexi Ryan comes a romantic fantasy in which a human princess armed with death’s kiss and a fae shifter on the run become unlikely allies when a mission to assassinate an evil king collides with a fatal prophecy.

Princess Jasalyn has a secret. Armed with an enchanted ring that gives her death’s kiss, Jas has been sneaking away from the palace at night to assassinate her enemies.

Shape-shifter Felicity needs a miracle. Fated to kill her magical father, she’s been using her unique ability to evade a fatal prophecy.

When rumors of evil king Mordeus’s resurrection spread through the shadow court, Jasalyn decides to end him once and for all. Felicity agrees to take the form of the princess, allowing Jas to covertly hunt Mordeus—and starting Felicity on the path that could finally take her home.

While Jasalyn teams up with the charming and handsome Kendrick, Felicity sets out to get closer to the Wild Fae king, Misha. Kendrick helps Jasalyn feel something other than anger for the first time in three years, and Misha makes Felicity wish for a world where she’s free to be her true self. Soon, the girls’ missions are at risk right alongside their hearts.

The future of the human and fae realms hangs in the balance as fates intertwine. Between perilous tasks, grim secrets, and forbidden romances, Jasalyn and Felicity find that perhaps their stars are the most cursed of all.

Goodreads | Amazon

Are you getting any new books this week?

Happy Reading!

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Longest Books I’ve Ever Read | TTT | Top Ten Tuesday 7/9/24

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Please check out her website for more TTT topics!

This week’s topic is: Throwback Freebie

Longest Books I’ve Ever Read

Why are books more than 500 pages? I don’t know! 😅 And of course most of these are Sarah J. Maas. I think a perfect book length is 350-400 pages but I know it’s hard to do that with a fantasy.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by. Samantha Shannon – 827 pages
A Court of Silver Flames by. Sarah J. Maas – 757 pages
House of Flame and Shadow by. Sarah J. Maas – 835 pages

A Court of Wings and Ruin by. Sarah J. Maas – 703 pages
House of Earth and Blood by. Sarah J. Maas – 803 pages
House of Sky and Breath by. Sarah J. Maas – 805 pages

Kingdom of Ash by. Sarah J. Maas – 984 pages (seriously?! 😳)
The Mists of Avalon by. Marion Zimmer Bradley – 884 pages – I read this one in high school and I guess I didn’t realize it was 800+ pages? That’s crazy to me.
Kushiel’s Dart by. Jacqueline Carey – 901 pages – I read this back in 2001 or 2002? I didn’t even realize it was 900+ pages!

What’s on your TTT?

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That Prince is Mine by. Jayci Lee | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: That Prince is Mine

Author: Jayci Lee

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 7/30/24

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Categories: Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Interracial Romance, Foodie Romance, Royal Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A love-averse Korean royal court cuisine instructor in search of a perfect-on-paper husband is waylaid from her practical, heartbreak-proof plan when she meets a gorgeous professor—and prince in disguise—who will do anything to prove to her that love and happily ever after can be theirs.

Emma Yoon runs a small business as a culinary instructor in Los Angeles teaching Korean royal court cuisine to young ladies striving to marry into the exclusive upper crust Korean families. She has built her business alongside her renowned Korean matchmaker godmother, which brings her one step closer to her dream of opening up a culinary school on her own. But when her godmother’s fellow matchmakers decide to meddle in Emma’s love life in a bid to sabotage her godmother, and indirectly push Emma’s dream out of her reach, she must go on a series of arranged first dates and find herself the perfect-on-paper husband to help save both, her godmother’s reputation and her dream–even if she’s not ready for love. But when she meets Michel Aubert, a professor at USC, after a series of disastrous first dates, she wonders if she might reevaluate her position on love.

Prince Michel Aubert is bound by duty and responsibility to his country, but an arranged marriage is the last thing he wants. If he is going to spend the rest of his life in service of his people, then he at least wants someone he loves and trusts by his side while doing it. He needs to find a woman who loves him for who he is before his engagement to his handpicked bride is announced. Emma Yoon might be just the woman he is looking for.

Content Warning:

This one was a cute, fluffy romance. Emma is a culinary instructor who’s matchmaking godmother is trying to find her a husband. Michel is a Prince disguising himself as a professor at USC. For the most part the romance is straight-forward and kind of reminds me of the movie The Prince & Me, except with older characters. I thought their romance was very sweet with some spicy scenes here and there, but for the most part I thought this story was wholesome.

I did like the family themes in this book. Emma is Korean-American and she has a great support system in her dad, brother and godmother. I loved the Korean foods mentioned in the story. On the other side, I loved Michel’s relationship with his cousin, Gabriel. Both characters valued family and I thought they made a good match.

There isn’t much conflict between Michel and Emma except for the part of him being a prince and what that means for her when he tells her about it.

My Thoughts:

This one is an easy read. It’s a fluffy romance without much conflict. I thought the family, different cultures, and food themes were nice. Emma and Michel’s romance is very sweet so if you are into sweet, easy romances, you will enjoy this one.

Find me here: Instagram (bookstagram📚) | Instagram (crafts🎨) | Twitter (X) | Etsy (Shop)

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

BLOG TOUR | Secret Crush Seduction by. Jayci Lee ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BLOG TOUR} Temporary Wife Temptation by. Jayci Lee ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Dating Dare | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️💫

ARC Review | A Sweet Mess ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Weekly Wrap Up | 7/7/24

Aloha friends!

I hope all of you had a nice, easy week. It was pretty chill for us, all we did this week was grocery shopping and then we went to Chuck e Cheese for 4th of July since my daughter requested we go – and it was packed even though we went right when they opened. And then I thought my son’s allergies were acting up but then yesterday he kept feeling worse (itchy throat, slight cough, congestion) and then before bed I took his temp and he had a fever. A friend of mine just had Covid last week so I decided to test my son and sure enough his test turned positive quickly! 😫 I mean, yay, hopefully this means he won’t get it when school begins in a few weeks (because both my kids usually get sick in the first month of school). But, BOO, because it’s summer and he’s sick. My daughter and I already had a cold last month so I really, really, REALLY don’t want to have Covid. I’m just so tired of being sick and it’s summer time. Being sick in the summer SUCKS.

Anyway, I hope it’s a mild case and it goes away by the end of this week and my daughter and I and my parents who were exposed to him yesterday – don’t get it. 🙏🏼

I hope all of you have a good week!

Blog Posts:

Not Another Love Song by. Julie Soto | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Happy Book Birthday | New Releases | 7/2/24
Blue Book Covers of 2024 | TTT | Top Ten Tuesday 7/2/24
WWW Wednesday | 7/3/24
The Ever King By. L.J. Andrews | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
The Ever Queen By. L.J. Andrews | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
First Lines Fridays | 7/5/24
Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag – 2024

Books I Read:

The Ever King by. L.J. Andrews
The Ever Queen by. L.J. Andrews
The Seventh Veil of Salome by. Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Currently Reading:

A Winter Wish by. Emily Stone
Shadow & Storms by. Helen Scheuerer
Not In Love by. Ali Hazelwood
The Mist Thief by. L.J. Andrews

Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:

House of Dragon (Season 2, Ep. 3)

How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!

Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag – 2024

I’ve been seeing this tag all around the blogosphere so I have to do mine too!

BEST BOOK YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2024

I feel like this year I have gravitated to more contemporary reads and less fantasy? I read a lot of fantasy but I don’t know there was anything that really wowed me yet this year. But these three books are my top three so far: The Women by. Kristin Hannah, Not Another Love Song by. Julie Soto, and Funny Story by. Emily Henry.

BEST SEQUEL YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2023

I thought Ruthless Vows by. Rebecca Ross was a great conclusion to the duology!

NEW RELEASE YOU HAVEN’T READ YET, BUT WANT TO

This one, Poison in Their Hearts by. Laura Sebastian, just came out and I want to read it. I hope I get to read it sometime this year.

MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR

The Grandest Game by. Jennifer Lynn Barnes
The Songbird and the Heart of Stone by. Carissa Broadbent
Heir by. Sabaa Tahir

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

King of Sloth by. Ana Huang, one was my least favorite of the series and least favorite book of the year.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

The Last Bloodcarver by. Vanessa Le was such a surprise to me, actually it’s one of my top reads of 2024 also.

FAVORITE NEW AUTHOR (debut or new to you)

I really liked the world building in this one and that it’s an academy book. I’m excited to read book two.

NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH

I don’t think I’ve actually had a new fictional crush this year, which is so surprising! The one fictional guy though that had me in my feels a little is Miles from Funny Story by. Emily Henry. Usually I like the alpha guys buy Miles was the totally opposite of being an alpha and I loved him.

NEWEST FAVORITE CHARACTER

Nhika in The Last Bloodcarver because she’s a survivor.

Arthie and Jin from A Tempest of Tea because their friendship is everything.

Rune from Heartless Hunter because she’ll do anything to help the witches who are being hunted.

BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY

I don’t think a book made me shed too much tears this year so far but I did tear up at the ending of the The Last Bloodcarver by. Vanessa Le.

BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY

Dungeons and Drama by. Kristy Boyce made me feel happy!

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU’VE BOUGHT SO FAR THIS YEAR (or received)

I definitely broke my book banning to get this hardcover: Heaveneaker by. Sara Wolf

WHAT BOOKS DO YOU NEED TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR?

I have The Wren in the Holly Library by. K.A. Linde on my bookshelf so would love to read that by the end of this year. I have Heir by. Sabaa Tahir as an arc so I know I’ll be finishing that this year! And I can’t wait for The Songbird and the Heart of Stone by. Carissa Broadbent.

FAVORITE BOOK TO MOVIE ADAPTATION YOU’VE SEEN THIS YEAR

I haven’t seen any book to movie adapations this year – at least books that’s I’ve read but I did watch Dune 2! Haven’t read the book though but I’m a fan of the movies because they are so visually stunning.

Oh and I also watched The Idea of You and I know there is a book The Idea of You by. Robinne Lee but that’s also one I haven’t read.

It’s been a fairly slow reading year for me this year I think. But I’m totally okay with that because that just means my attention and energy had to be elsewhere. I’m 59/125 on my Goodreads reading challenge so I think I’m on a good pace!

How has your 2024 been so far?

The Ever Queen By. L.J. Andrews | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Ever Queen (The Ever Seas, #2)

Author: L.J. Andrews

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 452

Publication Date: 1/26/24

Categories: Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Series, Pirates, Fae, Elves

The Songbird:
Captive. Challenger. Queen.

Enemies took her from the man who holds her heart. They might see her as weak, as a pawn in wicked games, but they’re no match for the first Ever Queen.

Let them think they’ve won. Her heart belongs to a beautiful monster, and she will never stop fighting until she’s back in his arms.

The Serpent:
Captor. Villain. King.

His enemies stole the woman who claimed his soul. They betrayed him out of greed and desire for the crown, but they won’t die for that betrayal. No.

They’ll die for touching her.

His heart belongs to a stunning little bird. He will never stop searching for her light across the skies. Not until the blood of his enemies spills at her feet, and his queen wears their bones around her neck.

Welcome back to the world of the Ever Kingdom where pirates collide with Vikings in passionate romance, brutal battles, and an unforgettable dark fantasy world. This book concludes the love story between Erik and Livia, but new, standalone romances with other favorite characters will continue to build the world. Readers are encouraged to check the TW inside the book for their reading comfort.

Content Warning: death, torture, violence, kidnapping, sexual assault

I started book two of the Ever Seas series since book one ended in a cliffhanger. But it picks up right away from book one and this time Erik has beg help from Livia’s family if he wants to find her fast. I enjoyed getting more backstory about Erik’s past with the Earth fae and seeing how they would mend their rift to save Livia. I thought it was fun to see both sides finally put aside their differences and get along.

Interestingly enough, Livia’s capture has opened the story up to include elves! She is trapped on an elvish island but the woman she meets, Skadi, is very mysterious and kind of vague which was a little frustrating at times. We do learn more about her and the elves near the end of the book.

Like book one, there is a lot of action – these pirates have to travel the seas to find Livia and Erik is as violent as ever to the people who are his enemies. But he is going to find Livia even if it kills him. Since this is called The Ever Queen, Livia does get a moment to shine, she is separated by Erik who is her constant protector and she goes through some scary situations alone. But she digs deep and uses her power to help herself get free.

There is more steamy scenes between Livia and Erik, lots of love expressed between them which is always so fun and sweet but also repetition with them always saying how they will follow each other through the skies and seas. A few times is okay but all the time can get kind of too much but it definitely fits the romantasy genre and I’d rather have that than them calling one another “mate” all the time.

I love all the secondary characters, all the family themes which I feel adds a heartwarming aspect to this whole series. Livia has such a great support system and I love that they have welcomed Erik into their fold even with their past.

My Final Thoughts:

I think it took a little longer for me to read this one but it is a tad bit longer than book one. I also had to take a break from binging because some things became a little repetitive. But I did love Livia and Erik and all the family themes. I’ve already started on book three which is Jonas’ story and will post a review when I am done with it.

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Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Ever King by. L.J. Andrews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

First Lines Fridays | 7/5/24

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!